Topic: Weekend Movie Marathon: Stephen King

[addicted2dvd]

Weekend Movie Marathon

Stephen King

I have been a fan of Stephen King's work in movies and miniseries for a long time now. No... I never had the opportunity to read any of his books... as I am not much of a reader at all. But I have definitely loved the work in film he has done. So this weekend I decided to watch some of his work. I have seen every one of these before... but many of them I have not seen for a very long time. So this weekend I decided to watch...

TITLE: The Shining (Miniseries) YEAR: 1998 DIRECTOR: Mick Garris LENGTH: 272min. PLOT: Jack Torrance (Steven Weber) and his family (Rebecca De Mornay and Courtland Mead) move into the sprawling, vacant Overlook Hotel to get away from it all. Away from the alcoholism that derails Jack's writing career. Away from the violent outbursts that mar Jack's past. But Jack's young son Danny knows better. He possesses a psychic gift called the shining-a gift the hotel's vile spirits desperately want. In the hands of Stephen King the "dead" Overlook comes horrifyingly alive. Phantoms lurk, the message "redrum" appears with scary frequency and even garden topiary lurches into macabre existence in this atmospheric shocker scripted by King from his own novel and directed by ace King screen adaptor Mick Garris ('Sleepwalkers', 'The Stand')

My Thoughts:
I can remember back... the very first horror movie I ever watch was Stanley Kubrick's version of The Shining. And because of that... that film has always... as it does now... hold a special place in my heart. To the point that I was concerned when I heard they were doing a miniseries version of this movie. My concerns subsided a little when I heard that Stephen King himself was going to have more to do with the miniseries version then he did with the earlier movie version. When I actually watched it... I was SHOCKED... I actually prefer the miniseries version over the movie version! How can this be?!?! Well first of all, I think Steven Weber and Rebecca DeMornay both did a really good job. In the movie version I really liked Jack Nicholson... but I couldn't get myself to care about the character of Wendy with it being played by Shelley Duvall. I don't know why... just didn't care for her much in the original movie. In the movie version they had a maze of bushes. This was replaced in the miniseries with bushes sculpted into animals... and in my opinion this was much creepier then the maze. Lets face it... when you have a miniseries that is a good 4 and a half hours long... they ken get in much more then the can with an approximate 2 and a half hour movie. Which is a good length in it's own. Over-all I just feel they did a great job with this miniseries... to the point that they didn't only do the original movie justice... but they actually surpassed it.

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TITLE: Needful Things YEAR: 1993 DIRECTOR: Fraser C. Heston LENGTH: 120min. PLOT: From Stephen King's #1 best selling novel comes this terrifying thriller starring Ed Harris, Bonnie Bedelia, Max Von Sydow, J.T. Walsh and Amanda Plummer. A mysterious new store opens in the town of Castle Rock, Maine. Despite the nerve shattering prices on every item, the owner is always willing to make a devil of a deal. This is Stephen King's town of terror, where an evil stranger unleashes a deadly scheme and the residents must pay the ultimate price. Get ready for the final showdown between good and evil... get ready for "the best Stephen King film ever."

My Thoughts:
I have not watched this movie in years... not since I first bought the DVD. So going into this one today I pretty much forgotten everything. After popping in the DVD the first thing I noticed was a big disappointment... a screen came up saying This film has been formatted to fit your screen! Damn! it is only in Fool Screen!?! Not fair! As for the movie itself... I enjoyed it. This movie seems to be kinda on the fun side of horror.... like they want to entertain you in more then the horror way... not really comedy but a light-heartedness if that makes sense. Extras wise this is a bit of a disappointment as well... just has the Theatrical Trailer and some Filmographies.

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TITLE: Firestarter YEAR: 1984 DIRECTOR: Mark L. Lester LENGTH: 114min. PLOT: 'Firestarter', the bestseller by top writer Stephen King, now comes blazing to the screen in a $15 million saga, produced by Dino De Laurentiis. Eight-year-old Drew Barrymore, who won America's heart in 'E.T.-The Extra-Terrestrial', stars as the child who has the amazing ability to start fires with just a glance. But can this power and the love of her father save her from the sinister government agency, "the Shop," which wants her destroyed? The top-notch story, an all-star cast that includes George C. Scott, Martin Sheen, Louise Fletcher, Art Carney, David Keith and Heather Locklear, plus amazing special effects and stunts from the masters who worked on 'Star Wars', 'E.T.-The Extra-Terrestrial', and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' make 'Firestarter' this year's hottest movie.

My Thoughts:
This is another movie I haven't watched in many years. It is one of the movies I do like... but is not what I would call a favorite. What I mean by that is...  it is a movie I definitely enjoy but I can only watch but so often... once every few years at the most for me. For being so young at the time... I think Drew Barrymore did a great job in it. Unfortunately this release has no extras what so every.  I personally would have liked to at least seen the Theatrical Trailer.

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TITLE: The Night Flier YEAR: 1997 DIRECTOR: Mark Pavia LENGTH: 96min. PLOT: From Stephen King, the master of horror on page and screen, comes a new tale of relentless terror. Of a modern-day vampire who flies by night, and lands too close to home ... for comfort. For Richard Dees (Miguel Ferrer) facts are always stranger than fiction. Every headline is a dead-line. Serial Killers, UFO abductions, tales of molestation, mayhem and murder. To some the tales are unbelievable -- but his faithful readers believe. And now there´s a new story, The Night Flier. What is it that flies by night in a dark-winged Cessna, lands at secluded airports and brutally murders local residents? Dees begins to follow the unknown killer in a Cessna of his own, uncovering clues that reveal a pilot more terrifying that he could ever have imagined. A creature so untamed by human nature, that their final confrontation will leave no body unbloodied.

My Thoughts:
Stephen King's take on a vampire story. Being a vampire movie alone  gives it a good chance I will enjoy it... and I definitely did. But I it is definitely not the best vampire movie I ever seen. There was a couple things I liked about this movie... they way they made Dwight Renfield (the vampire) look... as well as the effect the vampire's blood had when he effected the Richard Dees with it. I really liked the use of Black and White in that scene. It really enhanced the spookiness of the scene. There is a couple small extras on this release... I would have liked to seen something more substantial though.

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TITLE: Secret Window YEAR: 2004 DIRECTOR: David Koepp LENGTH: 96min. PLOT: Academy Award® nominee Johnny Depp (2003 Best Actor, 'Pirates of the Caribbean') gives his most riveting performance in this action/suspense thriller featuring a top-notch cast including John Turturro, Maria Bello, Academy Award® winner Timothy Hutton (1981 Best Supporting Actor, 'Ordinary People') and Charles S. Dutton. Following a bitter separation from his wife (Bello), famed mystery writer Mort Rainey (Depp) is unexpectedly confronted at his remote lake house by a dangerous stranger named John Shooter (Turturro). Claiming Rainey has plagiarized his short story, the psychotic Shooter demands justice. When Shooter's demands turn to threats - and then murder - Rainey turns to a private detective (Dutton) for help. But when nothing stops the horror from spiraling out of control, Rainey soon discovers he can't trust anyone or anything. A shocking psychological thriller from the writer of 'Panic Room', David Koepp.

My Thoughts:
This movie is very good. I enjoyed every second of it. I have seen this movie before... and I was actually as entranced by the movie this time as I was the first time I watched it. There is just something about this story that really sucks you in. They did a good job with the dvd as well... no audio/video problems.... and there is plenty of extras to keep you busy. Especially for a standard DVD Release. If you have not seen this movie yet... I highly recommend it.

[Najemikon]

This movie is very good. I enjoyed every second of it. I have seen this movie before... and I was actually as entranced by the movie this time as I was the first time I watched it. There is just something about this story that really sucks you in. They did a good job with the dvd as well... no audio/video problems.... and there is plenty of extras to keep you busy. Especially for a standard DVD Release. If you have not seen this movie yet... I highly recommend it.

Oh my. They do exist. I told people they might: Loch Ness monster; Big Foot; Someone who likes Secret Window. It's really rare to catch one out in the open like this... Quick! Trap it to do experiments on!

As you might have guessed, I cannot stand this movie. I thought it was an insulting mess with only Depp providing any thing that could be described as quality. The "twist" was especially annoying as I worked it out just after the credits finished. The opening credits, I might add. Empire said of the ending: "Secret Window's big secret couldn't be any more obvious if a marching band came stomping down the aisles with scarlet-clad pom-pom girls chanting the answer in unison".

 

[addicted2dvd]

This movie is very good. I enjoyed every second of it. I have seen this movie before... and I was actually as entranced by the movie this time as I was the first time I watched it. There is just something about this story that really sucks you in. They did a good job with the dvd as well... no audio/video problems.... and there is plenty of extras to keep you busy. Especially for a standard DVD Release. If you have not seen this movie yet... I highly recommend it.

Oh my. They do exist. I told people they might: Loch Ness monster; Big Foot; Someone who likes Secret Window. It's really rare to catch one out in the open like this... Quick! Trap it to do experiments on!

LOL... Just no probing... PLEASE!... OUCH Jon... Put that thing away! 

As you might have guessed, I cannot stand this movie. I thought it was an insulting mess with only Depp providing any thing that could be described as quality. The "twist" was especially annoying as I worked it out just after the credits finished. The opening credits, I might add. Empire said of the ending: "Secret Window's big secret couldn't be any more obvious if a marching band came stomping down the aisles with scarlet-clad pom-pom girls chanting the answer in unison".

 

Actually I know a lot of people in my horror group that likes this movie.  Yeah... the twist was pretty obvious... but what caught me by surprise is how they got to that point just drew me right in.... and yes because of that I enjoyed every minute of it!  But that's ok... it isn't the first time I got a bit of flack because of my opinion of a movie.... and definitely won't be the last time!  As I have said many times over... I am more forgiven with horror movies then most people are.   

[RossRoy]

I have a confession to make ....

I too love Secret Window!

[addicted2dvd]

See Jon... we are everywhere Mwahahahaha!!!

[Najemikon]

Two of you in one place? No accident. There's an asylum somewhere that needs to check its security...

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[Touti]

I saw Secret Windows a few years ago and although I don't recall much of the movie I do remember I wasn't impressed.  Although I felt Depp had given a fair performance, imo it was far from the ones I had previously seen from him in "From Hell", "Chocolat" and "The Ninth Gate" which is one of my favorite movies up to 15 or 20 minutes before the end which I hated.

[addicted2dvd]

I have Chocolat in my unwatched pile... maybe I should give that one a try here soon.

[Touti]

I have Chocolat in my unwatched pile... maybe I should give that one a try here soon.

It's no thriller or horror movie but it's pretty good, I think you'll like it.

[addicted2dvd]

LOL.... yeah... I may prefer horrors and thrillers... but I definitely enjoy a little bit of everything.